The Judiciary / FILE
Courts across the country are set for a busy week as several high-profile corruption, unexplained wealth, bribery and public land recovery cases come up for hearing, mention and ruling.
The matters, scheduled between July 13 and July 17, involve serving and former senior government officials, county leaders, public officers and private individuals facing various anti-corruption and asset recovery proceedings instituted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The cases range from rulings and hearings to mentions, with billions of shillings in allegedly irregularly acquired public funds, assets and land at the centre of the proceedings.
In rulings expected this week, the Anti-Corruption Court will determine a suit seeking the recovery of unexplained wealth amounting to Sh615 million from Joseph Chege Gikonyo and others.
The court will also deliver its decision in a case involving Mary Ngechi Ng'ethe, where EACC is seeking to recover Sh13 million allegedly illegally acquired from the defunct Nairobi City Council.
The Environment and Land Court will meanwhile rule on a suit involving Dayan Construction Company Limited, Geoffrey Majiwa and Omar Abdi Farah over parcels of public land in Nairobi valued at about Sh355 million.
Another ruling is expected in a case involving Lilian Achieng Okumu and three others over the recovery of Sh679,727 allegedly paid as salaries by the Homa Bay County Government.
In Nyeri, the Anti-Corruption Court is expected to rule in a bribery case involving former Nyeri Lands Registrar John Ndirangu and others over allegations relating to the solicitation and receipt of Sh200,000.
Several major corruption cases are also scheduled for hearing during the week.
Among them is the case against former Murang'a Governor Francis Mwangi Wa Iria and eight others, who face charges including conspiracy to commit corruption offences, unlawful acquisition of public property, conflict of interest and money laundering.
The allegations relate to the award of a Sh351.1 million contract to Top Image Media Consultants Limited by the Murang'a county government.
The Anti-Corruption Court will also continue hearing a Sh450 million asset recovery suit involving Steven Kisonzo Mulwa and others over claims that money was fraudulently acquired from the State Department for Correctional Services through payments for food and rations allegedly never supplied.
Bomet Governor Hillary Kipng'eno Barchok and two others are also scheduled to appear in court.
They face charges including conflict of interest, acquisition and use of proceeds of crime and money laundering over allegations linked to Sh2.7 million allegedly received from companies that traded with the county government.
Other hearings scheduled include a conflict of interest case involving Meru nominated MCA Lucy Makena Jason and Kadesh Company Limited over a Sh27 million tender, a Sh36.3 million recovery suit involving Hartland Enterprises Limited and five others and a Sh7.5 million recovery case against Michael Chesikau over grants from the National AIDS Control Council.
Bribery cases against police officers David Irungu and Hassan Liban Hassan in Isiolo, as well as Daniel Gitonga in Maua, are also listed for hearing.
The week will further see proceedings in cases involving Turkana County Executive Committee member Benson Lokwang, who faces charges relating to the alleged use of falsified academic documents to secure employment.
Several land recovery suits involving parcels in Limuru, Thika, Woodley Estate and land claimed by Kenya Railways Corporation are also expected to proceed before the Environment and Land Court and the Anti-Corruption Court.
At the mention stage, Kiambu Governor Paul Kimani Wamatangi and others are expected in court in a suit seeking the recovery of Sh813 million alleged to be proceeds of corruption.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and another will also appear for mention in a conflict of interest case relating to the award of a Sh10 million revenue collection contract by the Nairobi City County Government.
Other matters listed for mention include cases involving former Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti and 17 others over an alleged illegal Sh45.1 million contract, Arnold Karani Njiru and five others over the alleged embezzlement of Sh19.2 million from the Laikipia East NG-CDF, Wilberforce Ndula and others over the alleged loss of Sh7.6 million in Vihiga County, as well as public land recovery suits involving Woodley Estate and Limuru.
The matters are expected to be heard before various courts
in Nairobi, Nyeri, Nyahururu, Vihiga, Isiolo, Lodwar, Maua, Thika and Limuru
throughout the week.
